Fate is Cruel
by thatclovelytribute
Summary: Cato and Clove are inseparable. But one day, fate interferes and separates them. Forever.


**A/N :** So, this is a short story of Cato, from Clove's death, to his revenge on Thresh, and his death. A bit related to my one-shot, Keeping Her Safe. Hope you like it and as usual, sorry for grammar errors. And I need your help to submit a tribute, mentor, stylist, escort, or prep team member for my and The Golden Mockingjay's SYOT. Check my profile. I hope you can spare a little of your time to submit :) Anyway, enjoy the story! :D

**FATE IS CRUEL**

"CATO! CATO!"

Clove.

"CLOVE! Clove, I'm coming!" I shout back at her.

I run. I don't stop. The plan has been me searching for 11 in the woods while Clove will be at the Cornucopia, grabbing our bag and hopefully take out a few tributes. Something has definitely gone wrong. I told her to call my name as loud as she can if she's in trouble.

My heart pounds in my chest as I run through the trees.

"CATO!" Clove's scream pierces the air.

I'm still running. I can see her now, dangling about a foot above the ground, 11's hand locked around her neck, the other hand raises a rock. No. No! I'm too late. He has brought it down and the rock hit her skull. Hard.

"NO!" I screamed. Momentarily stopped in my track. Tears start to flow freely down my cheek. I haven't cry once since I was 3. I will surely lose sponsors, but I don't care.

I see 11 talking to 12, and when I finally arrive at the Cornucopia, they have both flee. I can't control my emotions right now. I toss my sword aside as I kneel beside her limp body and I frantically search for her pulse. It's weak, but still there nonetheless. She's still alive.

"Clove, listen to me. Clove, please. Stay with me."

No response.

"CLOVE! PLEASE, JUST STAY WITH ME!" I sob and scream. Begging her to stay. And then her hand reaches out and I hold it tightly.

"Win for me." She says weakly.

"I can't. Not without you." I say between sobs, "I love you." I finally confess. I never thought my confession will be in a situation like this, with me holding her as she dies.

"You have to. For me. And for our district. Fate is cruel, Cato. Please, win this for me."

After a while, she says, "I love you too," She manages a smile, "Cato."

And then the cannon sounds.

"NO!" I roar. No. She's not gone. She can't be. I drop my head onto her stomach and starts to sob loudly. I must have look pathetic. Weak. But I couldn't care less. My best friend. The girl I've grown to love after all those years. Gone. Just like that. Dead. I promised. I promised to keep her safe. And I couldn't keep that promise. _**Fate is cruel.**_

I stay there for what seems like forever. Not wanting to leave her. But the thought of 11 get me moving. I have to find him. He killed Clove. I'll kill him.

I slowly lift my head, close her beautiful eyes, and kiss her forehead. _**We could've been so much more, you know. **_I say to her in my head, still looking at her pretty figure. I wipe away my tears, and, taking one last look at her, I go off to where 11 headed. I vaguely hear the hovercraft as they take Clove's body out of the arena.

_**Goodbye Clove.**_

oOo

We stand there, weapons in hand. It's raining heavily and we are dripping wet. After days of searching in the rain, I finally find him. The wheat field is now filled with mud after days of pouring rain. He stand there wide eyed, probably surprised that I had found him.

"You took my bag, didn't you? I think it's time to give it back." He grips his scythe tighter, "You killed her. My district partner. Now, I will have to kill you." I continue on, "And I want my bag as well." And with that, I lunged forward and attempt to stab him with my sword. He deflects it with his scythe. He lunged forward and managed to graze my arm. I cursed silently. I slash at his arm and blood starts gushing out of his wound. I grin, satisfied. But not as satisfied as I will be when he's dead. We battled for a long time, the rain still pouring. We slash and stab at each other and we are already wounded and bloody when the battle finally ends. Eleven loses his balance when I attack him with a particularly hard blow. He falls to the ground, scrambling backwards on all four, as I advance with my sword. He tries to reach his scythe but I kick it away, making it out of his reach. I smile smugly.

"Any last words?" I say with my sword held in front of his chest.

"Yes," he answers and spits on the ground, "You're pathetic. You, your district partner, and the ones from 1. The lot of you is pathetic." And that's when my sword enters his chest. A moment later, the cannon sounds. Well, 11's dead. Five's also dead. The only thing standing between me and the victory that I've promised Clove is the fact that the scums from 12 are still alive. I have to take care of that.

oOo

"Shoot me and he goes down with me." I say, tightening my grip around that traitor's neck.

The girl on fire, or so they say, tightens her grip around her bow. We both stare at each other, still as statues. Not one of us dares to move. I can see Lover Boy's lips turning blue. He'll die soon if we didn't do anything. I grin at the thought. One more kill.

But then, I feel Lover Boy's hand traces an x on my hand. I am confused for a second, but that's enough for Everdeen to shoot an arrow on my hand. I am forced to release my headlock on Lover Boy and I tumble down the side of the Cornucopia. I attempt to bring Lover Boy down with me but Everdeen has gripped his shirt, so I fall down and hit the ground, hard. The mutts are starting to gather on my sides and start to rip my skin. If it hadn't been for the armor, I would already be dead. But I won't last long after this. I fight them with all my might but they're too much. My blade pass through them one by one until there are only about half a dozen left. But then, I'm already tired. They continue on, ripping my armor off my body and ripping my skin to shreds. I scream and moan, not caring that I look absolutely weak and pathetic. I'm dying. I can feel it. I lift my hand in front of my face and I see it all bloody and wrecked. Tears are falling from my eyes now. The pain is unbearable.

I see a bright light. The sun is rising. The Everdeen girl is looking over the side of the Cornucopia. Bow ready, an arrow notched. I look at her in the eyes and finally beg, "Please."

I can't stand this anymore. The pain... It's too strong._** I'm sorry, Clove. I really am.**_ I thought as tears stream down my face. I can't win this for her but at least I can join her up there.

_**Forgive me, Clove. Fate is, indeed, cruel.**_

I close my eyes as the arrow comes toward me. I feel a sharp pain on my temple… And blackness.


End file.
